Box Score

DUBUQUE, Iowa – Augustana survived a 244-point marathon at Loras Saturday to earn its first-ever Midwest Collegiate Volleyball League victory. Coach Mark Lau's bunch defeated the host Duhawks 35-33, 22-25, 22-25, 28-26,15-13 to improve to 7-13 on the season and 1-2 in the MCVL. Loras dropped to 8-8 overall and 1-2 in the conference.
 
After splitting four games with a final margin of no more than three points, including two that went past the regulation 25 points, the teams went to a fifth.
 
The Duhawks looked to have upper hand, jumping ahead 4-0 and maintaining an 8-6 lead at the change. The tide turned with a kill  by freshman Justin Murphy (Glenbard East HS, Lombard, Ill.) that pulled the Vikings to within 10-9 and sparked a 4-0 run. By the time freshmen Jason Szara (Lincoln-Way East HS, Frankfort, Ill.) and Andrew Housholder (Neuqua Valley HS, Naperville, Ill.) teamed up to block a Joe Jendra attack, Augustana led 13-10. Loras cut the deficit to one point twice, but a Duhawk attack error gave the Vikings match point.
 
Game one gave an indication of what was to come, as Augustana fought off six set points before a Murphy kill gave the Vikings a 35-33 victory.
 
Loras came back with consecutive 25-22 wins in games two and three. Jendra and Leo Peters combined on a block to finish off the second set and a Peters kill accounted for set point in game three.
 
The Vikings led nearly the entire way in a game four win, but the hosts again extended them past 25 points. Lau's crew led 19-13 following a Duhawk service error, but Loras rallied to take 10 of the next 13 points and grab a 23-22 lead on a block by Peters and Alfredo Lopez. Consecutive attack errors by the hosts put Augustana back in control. The Duhawks fought off a pair of set points before a Housholder block gave the Vikings a 28-26 win and sent the teams to a fifth game.
 
Each team won 122 points in the incredibly tight match. Murphy and classmates Joshua Richardson (Homewood-Flossmoor HS, Hazel Crest, Ill.) and Dylan Baum (Warrensburg-Latham HS, Decatur, Ill.) each had a dozen kills for the victors. Housholder added eight kills on a team-best .538 attack percentage and led Augustana with four blocks. Freshman Ryan Hirschel (Libertyville HS, Libertyville, Ill.) distributed 48 assists. Classmate Matthew Schiferl (Wheeling HS, Arlington Heights, Ill.) had 19 digs, while Szara chipped in with 11 and had a match-high three service aces.
 
Jendra led four Duhawks with double-digit kills, putting away 17. Lopez dealt out a match-high 53 assists and Blair Anderson had 16 digs. Peters led Loras with four blocks.
 
The Vikings are back in action on Friday March 16, hosting North Central at Carver Center in another MCVL match beginning at 7:00 p.m.